Is there any social/political issue that The United States is ahead of the curve on?

therealjerrystaute

I don't think any but a few third world countries now outdo us in terms of plutocracy.

"Under America's current campaign finance rules, it often doesn't even matter if your political candidate wins, because the vast majority of candidates are beholden to the rich who pay for their election campaigns. Beholden to those few lucky good people (or bad) who possess this mountain of cash, and so own most U.S. corporations (including U.S. mainstream media) as well. You literally cannot avoid seeing their viewpoints if you turn on your TV. But you'll almost never see your own-- unless they successfully convince you to adopt theirs.

And they have $billions for dazzling presentations and TV shows and entertaining TV personalities with which to drown you in propaganda until you finally swallow it, lock, stock, and barrel.

America may be the last modern western republic or democracy to allow a handful of the wealthy to run the government and the mainstream media this way. Other countries use higher taxes on the rich, public financing of elections and sometimes news media too, and/or other measures to avoid American style commercial corruption among their public officials.

It's the opposite of free speech: it's bought and paid for speech. For billionaires only."

-- The invisible American

therealjerrystaute

An examination of the soft evidence for alien visitations to Earth in UFOs offers plenty of citations debunking the usual UFO evidence you see presented on American TV these days.

therealjerrystaute

The worst part is that your most important (to you personally) comments don't show up when you post them. Like you get challenged on some point in a discussion, and you've got the perfect rebuttal-- but when you submit it to reddit it just vanishes into the ether. And then the same thing happens a second time as well. Then the whole site crashes...then comes back running so slowly you just give up and log off...and by the time you come back, you've forgotten your rebuttal and the thread you wished to post it on, completely.

therealjerrystaute

"I still haven't had the balls to answer you"? WTF are you talking about? YOUR OWN LINK shows me answering you! Not once, but multiple times! Are you confused or something?

And could you please also show me a link posting specifically about you? Because I don't recall it. If you're talking about THIS thread, I had others in mind, not you. Of course, I reply to lots of different reddit threads: maybe we butted heads somewhere and I don't recall it. But hopefully you can show us another link to refresh my memory of the event to which you're referring.

(not everything's about you, dude)

therealjerrystaute

I don't think it works that way. For the very best ('truly devastating') insults are tailored to their specific situation, and so must be created on the spot.

therealjerrystaute

Maybe by the same title I used for my science fiction novel: The Chance of a Realtime

therealjerrystaute

My poor little video newbie niece. She's experimenting with online video, and my fellow redditors (many of whom have probably never dared upload a single video themselves) are giving her a hard time for it.

therealjerrystaute

Palin's IQ doesn't matter, next to her demonstrated insanity.

therealjerrystaute

Well, waking up one night while I was passing a bus on the interstate seemed pretty crazy.

Another time I turned to see a car that had instantly transformed (at high speed) into a huge rolling ball of mangled metal flying over the highway. Literally flying. Because although it was bouncing, the distance between road impacts was enormous, due to its terrible velocity.

For a few years in my youth, I practically lived on the road. So I saw plenty.

therealjerrystaute

Do I think enlisting is worth it? Yes. If you're poor or desperate enough. Or a masochist. Or crave a highly ordered life. Maybe also if you want to be forced into risky situations you would otherwise never see, in order to either have more intense experiences, or wilder adventures, or prove something to yourself, about yourself.

But not everybody survives it. And of those that do, many don't do so intact-- either mentally, or physically, or both.

therealjerrystaute

Like everything else in life, your personal experience will be dictated largely by luck. However, if someone you know is also attending, the both of you might be able to arrange to be room mates-- thereby eliminating some risk.

Dorm living is usually done mainly to save money. For instance, you can often live without a car by doing that. Back in my day though, it was also required of freshman at my college.

I once got the second best room mate it was possible to get: a near brilliant freshman who'd come from an astonishing high school (compared to my own) who was actually able to help me with junior and senior level engineering classes.

(the first best room mate of course would have been a hot chick with these same attributes, who really, really liked me (ha, ha))

On the other hand, I knew another fellow who got paired with something close to the worst possible room mate: a real black hole of a person who drained the life out of any room he was in. It would simultaneously depress and anger you to be around him.

therealjerrystaute

I've written the equivalent of maybe a dozen books-- but it's (mostly) all online. The Chance of a Realtime is my science fiction novel. The Shadowfast supercar driver logs is a collection of autobiographical stories about my youth. An illustrated speculative timeline of future technology and social change and The rise and fall of star faring civilizations in our own galaxy are research compilations. Pathfinder is my own interpretation and integration of the I Ching, Tao of Power, and Art of War. Etc. These works and others have been my main source of income for 10 years now. The internet is making traditional publishing institutions gradually obsolete. Apparently most writers who manage to get past the rejection slips and actually get a traditional contract don't make as much as many who simply go straight to the net with their works.

therealjerrystaute

At the very least he's furious with himself for what he did. But being drunk truly can make you a different person. Yes, he made mistakes there. Yes, you're right to call him on it.

If he's truly a good guy who cares a lot about you, he'll do his damnedest to never ever drink when he's with you again (and you can help him with that by going along with that measure, even if it means you don't drink either under those circumstances).

Hopefully you'll both learn from his mistakes and avoid drinking with no DD, or where travel is necessary afterwards, from now on.

therealjerrystaute

Man, I've been seeing reports like this for 20 years now-- but the innovations touted have never yet shown up in dentist's offices.

therealjerrystaute

Your data will probably look impressive right up to the moment someone posts the comparative USA data (DOH! as Homer Simpson might say).

therealjerrystaute

Man, I grew up here. I've known to lock my doors since I was maybe 6 years old.

However, far better than locked doors alone is to NOT live alone. More than one person coming and going all the time vastly reduces the chances of somebody even attempting to burgle your place when nobody's home at all-- because they can't be sure without quite a bit of careful observation. Too, multiple residents often means varying sleep schedules, so there's more often someone awake during a 24 hour period, than would be possible with just one resident. So you got a better human alarm system. Not to mention more physical help if needed in an actual struggle. The money saved by splitting rent and utility bills, etc., is nice too. The added redundancy of a possible second car and second group of casual associates helps during occasional tight spots as well...

therealjerrystaute

Here's why the solution proposed in the article (government intervention) can't work in America:

"Under America's current campaign finance rules, it often doesn't even matter if your political candidate wins, because the vast majority of candidates are beholden to the rich who pay for their election campaigns. Beholden to those few lucky good people (or bad) who possess this mountain of cash, and so own most U.S. corporations (including U.S. mainstream media) as well. You literally cannot avoid seeing their viewpoints if you turn on your TV. But you'll almost never see your own-- unless they successfully convince you to adopt theirs.

And they have $billions for dazzling presentations and TV shows and entertaining TV personalities with which to drown you in propaganda until you finally swallow it, lock, stock, and barrel.

America may be the last modern western republic or democracy to allow a handful of the wealthy to run the government and the mainstream media this way. Other countries use higher taxes on the rich, public financing of elections and sometimes news media too, and/or other measures to avoid American style commercial corruption among their public officials.

It's the opposite of free speech: it's bought and paid for speech. For billionaires only."

-- The invisible American

Bellwether 2010-06-13	One-Year Club
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therealjerrystaute

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